Nehemiah 4:9 says, So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard because of them day and night.

When I was a kid and playing in the school yard, there was nothing worse than being called a “yellow belly.” Those were fighting words! When Nehemiah was threatened by outside forces, he responded by directing each family to “pray and post a guard.”

Too often we try our best to solve a problem before we realize we need to ask God for His help and guidance.

As I write this devotional in March, we are recovering from tornado strikes in middle Tennessee and entering a Coronavirus pandemic in the United States and the world.

When we Americans go to the grocery and see shelves emptied of cleaning supplies, water and even some food items, it scares us. But God has not given us a spirit of fear. Rather, now is the time to call on the Holy Spirit to give us the power to help and comfort our family, friends and neighbors.

A time of crisis like we are facing now is the time for all Christians to reach out to our neighbors, loving them as Jesus instructed us to do. When this devotional comes out on May 29^th, we’ll be able to look back and see how we responded and how God provided for us and for our neighbors during the dual crises of tornado damage and the virus.

Our church in middle Tennessee is right now doing many things to help. I am so proud of the leadership from our pastors and ministers in all our campuses. I’m also proud of my fellow members for being the “hands and feet” of Jesus during this time.

Questions to Ask Yourself

1. Joshua 1:9 says, Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lordyour God is with you wherever you go. Look back and ask, “Were we strong and courageous?”
2. Jesus prayed in Matthew 6:10, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. There is no hunger, sickness or other human suffering in heaven. What have we done to make the same happen on earth?
3. Nehemiah had it right! Let’s continue to “pray and post a guard” by looking at how we Christians have reacted in these two crises, and then get ready for the next “storm” that will come our way.
4. “Stand up for Jesus, you soldier of the cross”—and for heaven’s sake, share your toilet paper!